To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

Patterns in maternal mortality related to induced abortion in North Carolina, 1963-1987

No. 70 December 1992
PATTERNS IN MATERNAL MORTALITY RELATED
TO INDUCED ABORTION
IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1963-1987
by
Robert E. Meyer
and
Paul A. Buescher
ABSTRACT
Trends in maternal mortality for deaths related to complications of abortion and deaths from all
other obstetric causes are examined for the 25-year period 1 963- 1 987. Five-year maternal mortality ratios
were computed as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. From 1968-72 to 1973-77, the
maternal mortality ratio for deaths due to abortion declined 84.8 percent (6.6 to 1.0 per 100,000). The
decrease in mortality from abortion complications accounted for 45.9 percent of the decline in overall
maternal mortality in the state during this period. During 1 978-82, the maternal mortality ratio for abortion
declined to less than one death per 100,000 births, with no abortion-related deaths occurring during 1983-
87. After 1977, the maternal mortality ratio for all other obstetric causes appeared to level off at about eight
per 100,000.
Examination of the trends in abortion-related deaths by individual year revealed a sudden decline
in the number of such deaths in 1973, dropping from an average of about five per year during 1963-1972
to less than 0.5 per year thereafter. The decline in abortion-related deaths in 1973 coincided with the
legalization of elective abortion and the provision of funding support for abortion services for Medicaid
and AFDC recipients in the state.

No. 70 December 1992
PATTERNS IN MATERNAL MORTALITY RELATED
TO INDUCED ABORTION
IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1963-1987
by
Robert E. Meyer
and
Paul A. Buescher
ABSTRACT
Trends in maternal mortality for deaths related to complications of abortion and deaths from all
other obstetric causes are examined for the 25-year period 1 963- 1 987. Five-year maternal mortality ratios
were computed as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. From 1968-72 to 1973-77, the
maternal mortality ratio for deaths due to abortion declined 84.8 percent (6.6 to 1.0 per 100,000). The
decrease in mortality from abortion complications accounted for 45.9 percent of the decline in overall
maternal mortality in the state during this period. During 1 978-82, the maternal mortality ratio for abortion
declined to less than one death per 100,000 births, with no abortion-related deaths occurring during 1983-
87. After 1977, the maternal mortality ratio for all other obstetric causes appeared to level off at about eight
per 100,000.
Examination of the trends in abortion-related deaths by individual year revealed a sudden decline
in the number of such deaths in 1973, dropping from an average of about five per year during 1963-1972
to less than 0.5 per year thereafter. The decline in abortion-related deaths in 1973 coincided with the
legalization of elective abortion and the provision of funding support for abortion services for Medicaid
and AFDC recipients in the state.